US3570650A

US3570650A - Method of charging leaching vats

Info

Publication number: US3570650A
Application number: US777673A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter M Parsons
Original assignee: American Hoist and Derrick Co
Current assignee: American Hoist and Derrick Co
Priority date: 1968-11-21
Filing date: 1968-11-21
Publication date: 1971-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-16

Abstract

A method and apparatus for charging a leaching vat. Shallow transverse strips of the charging material are deposited on the bottom of the vat in side-by-side relation across one-half of the vat and from one end of the vat to the other, this process then being repeated for the other half of the vat. The foregoing procedure results in the deposition of a shallow layer of the charging material on the bottom of the vat, and is repeated to form second and subsequent layers, until the vat is filled to the desired level. The end result is a charge which is substantially uniform throughout the vat, with substantially no impervious concentrations of fines.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee METHOD OF CHARGING LEACHING VATS Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney-Harris, Kiech, Russell and Kern ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus for charging a leaching vat. Shallow transverse strips of the charging material are deposited on the bottom of the vat in side-by-side relation across one-half of the vat and from one end of the vat to the other, this process then being repeated for the other half of the vat. The foregoing procedure results in the deposition of a shallow layer of the charging material on the bottom of the vat, and is repeated to form second and subsequent layers, until the vat is filled to the desired level. The end result is a charge which is substantially uniform throughout the vat, with 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 198/101,

214/18 Int. Cl B65g 37/00 Field of Search 214/18;

198/101 substantially no impervious concentrations of fines.

A I A 1 METHOD OF CHARGING LEACI-IING VATS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is related to my copending patent application Ser. No. 689,393, filed Dec. 11, 1967, and entitled AP- PARATUS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL IN AND REMOVING IT FROM ELONGATED PROCESSING ZONES.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for depositing material on a surface having transversely spaced sides and longitudinally spaced ends. For example, such surface may be the bottom of a vat or tank used to leach ores, such as low-grade copper ores, or other materials having components to be reclaimed.

In charging leaching vats with ores or other materials with conventional methods and apparatuses, concentrations of fines are frequently produced, usually as the result of depositing the material in one location in the vat for too long a period of time. When this is done, a large conical pile is formed down which fractions of different coarsenesses slide at different rates so that concentrations of coarse particles and fines are formed.

When a leaching liquid is introduced into a vat charged in the foregoing conventional manner, it penetrates the concentrations of fines inadequately, or not at all, such concentrations being relatively .impervious to the leaching liquid. The end result is that a substantial proportion of the ore or other material in the vat is untouched by the leaching liquid. This is obviously undesirable since it means the loss of a substantial proportion of the component or components being reclaimed form the material with which the vat is charged.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing background in mind, a primary object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for depositing material on a surface, such as the bottom of a leaching vat, uniformly in a substantially homogeneous charge having no concentrations of fines which are impermeable to a treating liquid, such as a leaching liquid. Consequently, the entire charge is accessible to the treating liquid so that, in the case of a leaching operation, the desired component or components may be leached from the entire charge,'which is an important feature of the invention.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to deposit the material in question on the desired surface in a succession of relatively thin or shallow layers'each composed of a plurality of strips of the material in side-by-side relation. With this procedure, there is substantially no possibility of fines concentrating in quantities sufficient to prevent penetration by a treating liquid, which is an important feature.

Another important object of the invention is to form each shallow layer of the charging material on the desired surface by depositing transverse strips of the material in side-by-side relation on half the area of the surface, proceeding from one end of the surface to the other, and by then depositing transverse strips of the material in side-by-side relation on the other half of the area of the surface, proceeding from the other end of the surface to the one end thereof.

Still another important object is to deposit adjacent transverse strips on each half of the area of the surface in opposite directions. More particularly, an object in this connection is to deposit transverse strips in side-by-side relation on one half the area of the surface by proceeding back and forth in opposite transverse directions between one side of the surface and the center thereof, and to deposit transverse strips in sideby-side relation on the other half of the area of the surface by proceeding back and forth in opposite transverse directions between the other side of the surface and the center thereof. Another related object is to proceed longitudinally of the surface in one direction in depositing material on one half thereof, and to proceed longitudinally of the surface in the other direction in depositing material on the other half thereof. With this procedure, the apparatus for depositing the transverse strips of material returns to its starting position after having deposited a complete shallow layer on the surface, or on a preceding layer thereon, which is an important feature.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method which includes a bidirectional shuttle conveyor above and extending transversely of the surface and bidirectionally shiftable both laterally and longitudinally of the surface.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a transverse shuttle conveyor the discharge end of which is transversely shiftable back and forth across the corresponding half of the area of the surface, between the center of the surface and the corresponding half of the area of the surface, between the center of the surface and the corresponding side thereof, as the shuttle conveyor is shifted longitudinally of the surface in a step-by-step manner from one end thereof to the other. Since the shuttle conveyor is bidirectional, one end acts' as the discharge end when depositing material on one half of.

the area of the surface, and the other end acts as the discharge end when depositing material on the other half of the area of tee surface, the shuttle conveyor being displaced step by step in one longitudinal direction when depositing material on one half, and being displaced step by step longitudinally in the other direction when depositing material on the other half.

A further object of the invention is to provide feed conveyor means, shiftable longitudinally of the surface with the shuttle conveyor in a step-by-step manner, for feeding the material to the shuttle conveyor irrespective of the direction of transverse movement of the shuttle conveyor.

More particularly, an additional object of the invention is to provide a feed conveyor means which includes a unidirectional feed conveyor above and extending transversely of the surface and having a discharge end above the shuttle conveyor, the feed conveyor being shiftable transversely of the surface to position its discharge end on the side of the center of the surface opposite the half of the surface being charged by the shuttle conveyor.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, semidiagrammatic, plan view of a material depositing apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged, fragmentary plan view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which material is deposited on the bottom of a leaching vat in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sernidiagrammatic, transverse sectional views illustrating the manner in which transverse strips of material are deposited in side-by-side relation on one half of the bottom of the leaching vat; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are view's similar to FIGS. 5 and 6, but illustrating the manner in which transverse strips of material are deposited in side-by-side relation on the other half of the bottom of the leaching vat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring initially to FIG. I of the drawings, illustrated therein in plan is an elongated processing or treating zone It) in which any desired material may be subjected to any suitable process or treatment. For convenience in disclosing the invention, the processing zone will be considered hereinafter as suitable for leaching such materials as ores, e.g., low-grade copper ores. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and is applicable to any situation wherein uniform deposition of a material to obtain a substantially homogeneous mass is required.

With the foregoing exemplary utilization of the invention in mind, the processing zone 119 may comprise a series of leaching tanks or vats 12 arranged in what will be regarded herein as an end-to-end relation as a matter of convenience, although the vats are shown as approximately square. Running on tracks 14 on opposite sides of and extending longitudinally of the series of leaching vats 12 constituting the processing zone 10 is a material depositing apparatus 16 of the invention for charging the leaching vats. The material depositing apparatus 16 has the form of a bridge which spans the series of leaching vats 12 and is carried at its ends by the tracks 14. (Laterally outwardly of the respective tracks 14 are longitudinal tracks 18 for an unloading apparatus, not shown, similar to that disclosed in my aforementioned copending application, such unloading apparatus being used to remove the material from the leaching vats 12 after the desired component or components have been leached therefrom.)

Generally, the material depositing apparatus 16 is similar to that disclosed in my aforementioned copending application so that only the features thereof essential to the present invention will be described in detail herein. Briefly, the material depositing apparatus 16 comprises a bidirectional shuttle conveyor 20 above and extending transversely of the series of leaching vats l2, suitable bidirectional driving means, not shown, being provided to drive the shuttle conveyor 20 in opposite directions so that either end thereof may be its discharge end. The shuttle conveyor 20, which has a length less that the width of the series of leaching vats 12, is shiftable transversely of the series on tracks 22, best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The material dispensing apparatus 16 also includes a feed conveyor means 24 for feeding the desired material to the shuttle conveyor 20, the feed conveyor means including a unidirectional feed conveyor 26 above and extending transversely of the series of leaching vats 12 and having a discharge end 28 above the shuttle conveyor 20. The feed conveyor 26 is shiftable transversely of the series of leaching vats 12 on tracks 30, again best shown in FIG. 2. Both the shuttle conveyor 20 and the feed conveyor 26 are preferably belt conveyors having upper runs supported by troughing rolls, once more as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The feed conveyor 26 receives a stream of the desired material from a tripper 32 associated with the upper run of a supply conveyor 34 of the troughed belt type which extends the full length of the series of leaching vats 12 along one side thereof. The tripper 32 is carried by longitudinal traclts 36 and is movable along such tracks with the material depositing apparatus 16, being connected thereto by an interconnecting means designated generally by the numeral 38 in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Thus, as the material depositing apparatus 16 of the invention moves longitudinally of the series of leaching vats 12, and longitudinally of any vat in such series, the tripper 32 automatically moves longitudinally therewith to maintain a continuous flow of the material from the supply conveyor 34 to the feed conveyor 26, and thence to the shuttle conveyor 20. If desired, additional details as to the foregoing structure may be obtained from my aforementioned copending application, the disclosure of the latter being incorporated herein by reference the same as if it were fully set forth herein.

Considering the shuttle conveyor 21) in more detail, it may be driven in a direction to discharge the material from the end 42 thereof, as shown in F168. 5 and 6, or the end 44 thereof, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. When shuttle conveyor 26) is driven in a direction to discharge material from the end 42 thereof, the shuttle conveyor is shifted laterally or transversely back and forth between first and second positions, respectively shown in F165. 5 and 6. In its first position, the shuttle conveyor 20 discharges material adjacent one side 46 of the leaching vat 12 being charged, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. When the shuttle conveyor 20 is in its second position, it discharges material adjacent the center of the leaching vat 12, as shown in FIG. 6.

The shuttle conveyor 20 is also laterally or transversely displaceable or shiftable between third and fourth positions,

respectively shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when it is driven in a direction such that is discharges material from the end 44 thereof. When the shuttle conveyor 20 is in its third position, it discharges material adjacent the opposite side 48 of the vat 12, as shown in FIG. 7. When the shuttle conveyor is in its fourth position, it discharges material, from the end 44 thereof, adjacent the center of the vat 12, as shown in FIG. 8. The second and fourth positions of the shuttle conveyor 20 are laterally separated sufficiently that the material deposits discharged from the

ends

42 and 44 of tee shuttle conveyor do not overlap, as will be clear from FIGS. 7 and 8.

The feed conveyor 26 has an inlet end 52 which receives a stream of material from the tripper 32, and has its discharge end 28 located above the shuttle conveyor 20 in all positions of the latter. The feed conveyor 26 is also laterally or transversely shiftable between first and second positions, the first position being shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the second in FIGS. 7 and 8. When the feed conveyor 26 is in its first position, the discharge end 28 thereof is located on the opposite side of the center of the vat 12 from the discharge end 42 of the shuttle conveyor 20. Similarly, when the feed conveyor 26 is in its second position, as shown in FIGS. 7 and d, its discharge end 28 is on the opposite side of the center of the vat 12 from the discharge end 44 of the shuttle conveyor 20. With this construction, the shuttle conveyor 20 may discharge material immediately adjacent the center of the vat 12 in its second and fourth positions, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 of the drawings.

The shuttle and feed

conveyors

20 and 26 may be driven and shifted transversely back and forth, as hereinbefore described, in any suitable manner. Consequently, it is unnecessary to specifically describe herein any driving and shifting means for these conveyors. Similarly, the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 may be displaced or shifted longitudinally of each vat 12, step by step, in any suitable manner, it therefore being unnecessary to specifically describe any longitudinal displacing or shifting means for these components.

As will be apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, when the shuttle conveyor 21) is driven in such a direction that the end 412 thereof is its discharge end, it deposits material in the right half of the vat 12, as viewed in FIGS. 4 to 8 of the drawings. Conversely, when the shuttle conveyor 20 is driven in such a direction that the end 44 thereof is its discharge end, it deposits material in the left half of the vat 12, again as viewed in FIGS. 4 to 8 of the drawings. This mode of operation is used in conjunction with step-by-step longitudinal shifting of the material depositing apparatus 16, and the tripper 32, in such a way as to deposit a shallow layer of material on the bottom surface of the vat 12, first on the right half of the vat bottom, proceeding longitudinally in one direction, and then on the left half of the bottom, proceeding longitudinally in the opposite direction.

Amplifying the foregoing, it will be assumed that the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 are adjacent what will, for convenience, be referred to as the front end 56, FIG. 4, of the vat 12 being charged. It will also be assumed that the shuttle conveyor is in its first position and is operating to discharge material over the end 42 thereof, as shown in H6. 5. Under these conditions, the shuttle conveyor 20 deposits material in the corner of the vat 12 defined by the side 46 and the end 56 thereof. As the shuttle conveyor 26 deposits material in such corner, it is simultaneously moved to the left, as indicated by the arrows 62 in FIGS. 1 and 5, until it reaches its second position, shown in FIG. 6. This results in the deposition of a shallow or thin transverse strip 64, FIG. S, of

material adjacent the front end 56 of the vat 12 and extending from the side 46 thereof substantially to the center of the vat.

The foregoing accomplished, the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 are displaced longitudinally of the vat 12 one step, in a direction from the front end 56 of the vat toward the rear end 58 thereof, the width of this step being substantially equal to the width of the transverse strip 64 previously deposited adjacent the front end 56 of the vat. Then, the shuttle conveyor 20 is moved to the right, as indicated by the arrows 66 in FIGS. 4 and 6, so that the shuttle conveyor deposits, from its discharge end 42,'another transverse strip 68 of material extending substantially from the center of the vat 12 to the side 46 thereof and lying alongside the previously deposited transverse strip 64.

The foregoing process is repeated until the entire right half of the bottom of the vat 12, as viewed in the drawings, is covered with a series of longitudinally spaced transverse strips of material. In other words, the shuttle conveyor 20 is constantly shuttled back and forth between its first and second positions while running in a direction to discharge material over the end 42 thereof, and, each time the shuttle conveyor 20 arrives at its first or second position, the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 are advanced longitudinally of the vat 12 one step, in a direction from the front end 56 of the vat toward he rear end 58 thereof. Ultimately, the entire right half of the bottom of the vat 12, as viewed in FIGS. 4 to 8 of the drawings, is covered with transverse strips of material in side-by-side relation.

The same process is then carried out over theleft half of the bottom of the vat 12, except that the longitudinal step-by-step displacement of the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 takes place from the rear end 58 of the vat toward the front end 56 thereof. More particularly, as shown in FIGS.

4 and 7, the shuttle conveyor 20 is now driven in a direction to discharge from the end 44 thereof, with the end 44 above the comer defined by the side 48 and the rear end 58 of the vat 12. Upon subsequent transverse movement of the shuttle conveyor 20 in the direction indicated by the arrows 70 in FIGS. 4 and 7, a transverse strip 72 of material is deposited adjacent the left half of the rear end 58 of the vat 12, between the side 48 thereof and the center of the vat. Next, the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 are advanced longitudinally one step toward the front end 56 of the vat l2, and the direction of shuttling displacement of the shuttle conveyor 20 is reversed, as indicated by the arrows 74 in FIGS. 4 and 8. This results in the deposition of another transverse strip on the left side of the bottom of the vat l2, alongside and forwardly of the previously deposited strip 72. Repeating these operations results in covering the left half of the bottom of the vat 12 with a plurality of transverse strips of material in the same manner as the right half of the bottom of the vat was covered.

When the bottom of the vat 12 has been completely covered with such transverse strips of material, each extending substantially half way across the vat, the material depositing apparatus 16 and the tripper 32 are once again adjacent the front end 56 of the vat 12. At this stage, the various components are returned to the positions shown in FIG. 5, whereupon the foregoing operations are repeated to deposit a second layer of transverse strips of material on top of the first. These operations are repeated as many times as required to produce the number of layers of material necessary to fill the vat l2 to'the desired level.

In forming the various transverse strips of material constituting each layer in the vat 12, the material is preferably deposited to a depth of only of the order of 6 to 24 inches. Consequently, in forming transverse strips to a depth of this order of magnitude, there is substantially no opportunity for any fines present to separate from coarser particles to any significant extent. The end result is that the vat 12 is charged to the desired level with a uniform, substantially homogeneous mass of material with no concentrations of fines of sufficient volumes to be impenetrable by a leaching liquid, or other treating liquid. Consequently all portions of the total char e in the vat 12 are substantially uniformly contacted by t e treating liquid which is the essential feature of the invention.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention as been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the claims appearing hereinafter.

I claim:

1. A method of uniformly depositingmaterial on a surface having transversely spaced sides and longitudinally spaced ends, including the steps of:

a. depositing a first transverse strip of material on one-half of said surface, adjacent one end of said surface, in a direction from one side of said surface to the center of said surface;

b. then depositing a second transverse strip of material on said one half of said surface, alongside said first transverse strip previously deposited on said one half of said surface and between such first transverse strip and the other end of said surface, in a direction from the center of said surface to said one side of said surface;

. c. then repeating the steps of subparagraphs (a) and (b) until additional transverse strips of material have been deposited on said one half of said surface in side-by-side relation all the way to said other end of said surface;

d. then depositing a first transverse strip of material on the other half of said surface, adjacent said other end of said surface, adjacent said other end of said surface, in a direction from the other side of said surface to the center of said surface;

e. then depositing a second transverse strip of material on said other half of said surface, alongside said first transverse strip previously deposited on said other half of said surface and between such first transverse strip and said one end of said surface, in a direction from the center of said surface to said other side of said surface; and

. then repeating the steps of subparagraphs (d) and (e) until additional transverse strips of material have been deposited on said other half of said surface in side-by-side relation all the way to said one end of said surface.

2. A method of uniformly depositing material on a surface having transversely spaced sides and longitudinally spaced ends, characterized by the use of a bidirectional shuttle conveyor above and extending transversely of said surface and shiftable transversely of said surface between first and second positions wherein one end of said shuttle conveyor is adjacent one side of said surface and the center of said surface, and between third and fourth positions wherein the other end of said shuttle conveyor is adjacent the other side of said surface, and the center of said surface, and including the steps of:

a. driving said shuttle conveyor in a direction to discharge material from said one end thereof;

b. transversely shifting said shuttle conveyor back and forth between its first and second positions while driving it in said direction;

c. shifting said shuttle conveyor longitudinally of said surface from one end thereof to the other in a step-by-step manner as said shuttle conveyor is shified into its first and second positions while being driven in said direction;

d. then driving said shuttle conveyor in the other direction to discharge material from the other end thereof;

e. transversely shifting said shuttle conveyor back and forth between its third and fourth positions while driving it in said other direction; and

f. shifting said shuttle conveyor longitudinally of said surface from said other end thereof to said one end thereof in a stepby-step manner as said shuttle conveyor is shifted into its third and fourth positions while being driven in said other direction.

Claims

1. A method of uniformly depositing material on a surface having transversely spaced sides and longitudinally spaced ends, including the steps of: a. depositing a first transverse strip of material on one-half of said surface, adjacent one end of said surface, in a direction from one side of said surface to the center of said surface; b. then depositing a second transverse strip of material on said one half of said surface, alongside said first transverse strip previously deposited on said one half of said surface and between such first transverse strip and the other end of said surface, in a direction from the center of said surface to said one side of said surface; c. then repeating the steps of subparagraphs (a) and (b) until additional transverse strips of material have been deposited on said one half of said surface in side-by-side relation all the way to said other end of said surface; d. then depositing a first transverse strip of material on the other half of said surface, adjacent said other end of said surface, adjacent said other end of said surface, in a direction from the other side of said surface to the center of said surface; e. then depositing a second transverse strip of material on said other half of said surface, alongside said first transverse strip previously deposited on said other half of Said surface and between such first transverse strip and said one end of said surface, in a direction from the center of said surface to said other side of said surface; and f. then repeating the steps of subparagraphs (d) and (e) until additional transverse strips of material have been deposited on said other half of said surface in side-by-side relation all the way to said one end of said surface.

2. A method of uniformly depositing material on a surface having transversely spaced sides and longitudinally spaced ends, characterized by the use of a bidirectional shuttle conveyor above and extending transversely of said surface and shiftable transversely of said surface between first and second positions wherein one end of said shuttle conveyor is adjacent one side of said surface and the center of said surface, and between third and fourth positions wherein the other end of said shuttle conveyor is adjacent the other side of said surface, and the center of said surface, and including the steps of: a. driving said shuttle conveyor in a direction to discharge material from said one end thereof; b. transversely shifting said shuttle conveyor back and forth between its first and second positions while driving it in said direction; c. shifting said shuttle conveyor longitudinally of said surface from one end thereof to the other in a step-by-step manner as said shuttle conveyor is shifted into its first and second positions while being driven in said direction; d. then driving said shuttle conveyor in the other direction to discharge material from the other end thereof; e. transversely shifting said shuttle conveyor back and forth between its third and fourth positions while driving it in said other direction; and f. shifting said shuttle conveyor longitudinally of said surface from said other end thereof to said one end thereof in a step-by-step manner as said shuttle conveyor is shifted into its third and fourth positions while being driven in said other direction.